I first became aware of Uncle Sam while listening to a patriotic album on the record player in our den when I was a child. 

 

 

Quick: Name that tune! 

 

That’s I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy by George M. Cohan. And you absolutely had to march in place while singing it!

 

Let’s not forget the posters either. Uncle Sam wants YOU! I never realized it was an army recruitment poster. I just thought he wanted ME to become a proud American. 

 

 

But who is this famous Uncle Sam? Let’s do a little digging into this figure from our historical past and his current relevance. 

 

During the War of 1812, Samuel Wilson, a meatpacker from Troy, New York, stamped “U.S.” on barrels of beef he supplied to the United States Army. Wilson’s co-workers began joking that “U.S.” stood for “Uncle Sam” and the nickname stuck.

 

On September 7, 1961, through concurrent resolutions, Congress officially named Uncle Sam as a permanent symbol of American strength and idealism.

 

In 1989, Congress designated September 13th as “Uncle Sam Day” in honor of Wilson’s birthday.

 

Explore the history behind Sam Wilson, the War of 1812 and Uncle Sam’s use throughout history. Discover other symbols of the United States. Use #UncleSamDay to post on social media.